One in seven English farm holdings has disappeared since 2005

England has lost more than one in seven agricultural holdings in two decades, as retirement, consolidation and mounting pressures continue to reshape the farming sector.

Analysis by rural property platform LandSale suggests the number of holdings fell from 247,500 in 2005 to 211,500 in 2025.

That represents a reduction of 36,000 holdings, or 14.6%, over the 20-year period.

LandSale said it reached the finding by examining UK Government agricultural data covering total holdings and holdings with croppable land.

Official agricultural land-use statistics are produced using the June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture. Defra describes its 2025 figures as estimates covering commercial agricultural holdings in England.

The LandSale analysis points to a long-term reduction in the number of holdings, although the total has fluctuated from year to year.

A holding does not necessarily represent an individual farm business, meaning the figures should not be treated as a direct measure of business closures.

However, the decline reflects wider structural changes in agriculture, with some farmers retiring or selling land while others expand and combine existing operations.

The amount of land being farmed has not fallen at the same rate. Across the UK, the utilised agricultural area remained broadly unchanged at 16.8 million hectares in 2025, accounting for around 69% of the country’s total land area.

This suggests that consolidation, rather than the disappearance of farmland itself, is likely to be an important part of the longer-term shift.

The findings come as more farms are being offered for sale.

Figures from Strutt & Parker’s Farmland Database showed that 177 farms were publicly launched during the first half of 2026, compared with 167 during the same period in 2025.

The number was 16% above the five-year average and represented the highest comparable first-half total for almost 20 years. However, the amount of land marketed remained broadly stable at just under 58,500 acres.

Landowners are also having to reconsider how they advertise farms and rural property following the closure of UK Land & Farms.

The specialist property portal ceased operating on 2 July 2026 after 18 years, removing a recognised marketplace for agricultural land, farms and other rural properties.

LandSale said it had experienced increased activity from farmers and landowners following the closure, as sellers looked for alternative ways to reach potential buyers.

Adam Morris, founder of LandSale, said: “The agricultural sector has always evolved, with land changing hands as farmers retire, businesses grow and owners make decisions about the future of their assets.”

He said effective sales channels remained important as the structure of the industry changed.

“When a recognised platform closes, it creates uncertainty for sellers who still need to advertise land and connect with potential buyers,” Morris said.

Although LandSale has a commercial interest in the rural property market, the government and market figures point to two related trends: fewer agricultural holdings over the longer term and an increasing number of farms being publicly marketed.

Morris added: “Farmers and landowners are still looking for ways to sell, and buyers are still looking for opportunities.”

“The market simply needs reliable platforms that understand the unique nature of rural property.”